Automatic circular-knitting machine.



J. LAWSON.

\UTUEVIATIC CiRCULAfi KNIT? e MACHINE APPLICATION FILED JUNE I7. 19!].

iaiente 1&3 18, 1915;,

3 SHEETS-SHEET I,

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WITNESSES? J. LAWSON.

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I7, 19H.

1 ,1@,2 69 Patented Mary 18, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES.

% )4 BY v n Lawson.

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Afro/Mai INVENTOR.

J. LAWSON.

AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTINQ MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1?, 19!

Patented May 18, 1915.

3 SHEIETSSHEET 3.

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AUTUMATIC CIRCULAR-KNITTING" MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 118, 1915.

Application filed .l'une 17, 1911. Serial No. 633,720.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that zen of the United States, residing at Central Falls, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Automatic Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic knitting machines, but more particularly to knitting machines for automatically producing seamless stockings, so-called; that is, stockings in which the leg and foot portions are tubular and without a sewed seam.

The object of the present invention is to provide a circular seamless machine adapted "for the knitting of stockings or other tubular fabrics, and by means of which invention the stocking or fabric may be provided with longitudinal lines of tuck-stitches which extend for only a portion of the length of the stocking or tubular fabric. I

For the production of lines of tuckstitches tuck-needles, that is, needles having longer latches than the regular needles, are employed, there being one tuck needle for each line of tuck-stitches, and for the accomplishment of the object above set forth these tuck-needles should be caused at one time or in one portion of the stocking to knit tuckstitches and at another time or in another portion of the stocking to knit plain or ordinary stitches.

The invention consists in a circular kni ting machine having in combination with the knitting cylinder and the usual needles and knitting-cams, one or more tuck-needles, and means for automatically operating the latter at predetermined times as to whether said tuck-needle or needles shall knit tuck-stitches or shall knit plain stitches.

The invention furtherconsists in an automatic circular knitting machine having in combination with the usual needles and devices for producing plain knitting, one or more tuck-needles, a movable tuck-cam for operating said tuck-needle or needles, a main rotary device provided with cam surfaces for moving said tuck-cam alternately into and out of operative position, and a second rotary device for independently con.- trolling the position of said tuck-cam.

The invention also consists in certain combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter set forth and claimed.

lit may be stated that the present invenll, JOHN Lawson, a citition, represented in the accompanying drawings, is well adapted to be associated or attached to and cooperate with the automatic circular stocking-knitting machine illustrated in J. l). Hemphills U. S. Patent No. 933,4 8, certain parts of which machine are reproduced in the present drawings. In said patented knitting-machine the needlecarrying or knitting-cylinder is revoluble. A main cam-shaft having a drum, &c., fixed thereon is arranged to make only one revolution during the production of the stocking; the machine is further provided with a relatively large continuously revoluble spurgear, so proportioned, connected and timed with relation to other movable ,members of the machine that it makes one turn to four of the needle-cylinder; both the said camshaft and gear rotating in one direction. in the adaptation of my present invention to said patented knitting-machine, the cam shaft and gear referred to are utilized, in connection with additional new parts, or devices, for automatically producing longitudinal lines of tuck-stitches in the tubular portions of the stocking.

in the accompanying three sheets or drawings, Figure 1 represents, in partial section and elevation the general relation of the improved parts to the knitting-cylinder, camshaft, &c., as in the act of producing tuckwork, the tuck-cam (not shown) for the instant being in the depressed position; Fig. 2 is a corresponding top plan view, in reduced scale, viewed from the horizontal plane or line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. l is a partial top plan View, showing the relation of the tuck-cam' to the knitting-cylinder, stitchcam, &c.; Fig. 5 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, but showing the gear advanced 90 in its rotary movement, and having its cam-rib in temporary engagement with'the roll of the tuck-cam lever, thereby correspondingly elevating the tuck-cam; Fig. 6 is a front elevation, in partial section and enlarged scale, showing more in detail the vertically guided tuck-cam or supplemental raise-and-draw cam in the depressed position; Fig. 7 is a similar view, showing the cam in the elevated position Fig. 8 is a top plan view corresponding with Fig. 6, show ing in addition portions o1 the needle-cylinder and needles; Fig. 9 is a partial transverse section, in enlarged scale, taken through the cylinder, 620., corresponding substantially with line 9-9 of Fig. 13; Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view, in partial elevation and enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 10-10 of Fig. 4:, showing the tuck-cam depressed, corresponding with -Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 11 represents, in enof the tuck-cannandwits housing, the cam being in the fully depressed position; Fig. 15 is atransverse section, taken on line 1515 of Fig. 13, and also showing both short-butt and long-putt needles passing the tuck-cam; Fig. 16 represents the position of the upper or hook portion of the long and short-butt needles corresponding with the indication of similarly numbered needles designated in Fig. 13 and showing the shortlatch needles as in producing regular or plain circular knitting; Fig. 161} indicates the position of the corresponding long-latch or tuck-needle when acted upon by the elevated tuck-cam in said regular work; Fig. 17 represents various positions of the longlatch needle in producing, say the first circular course in the tuck-stitching operation,

- the tuck-cam then being depressed; Fig. 18

represents corresponding positions of the long-latch needle in producing'the second circular-course, the tuck-cam then being ele-' vated and having a pair of loops on the needle; Fig. 19 represents the next circular course of the tuck-needle, and is practically a repetition of the positions shown in Fig.

17 except that the double loops have been cast ofi' into the web; and Fig. 20 represents in an exaggerated manner and greatly enlarged scale, a front view of the arrangement of the threads to form in the web a longitudinal line or Wale of tuck-stitchesv shown in the present drawings; that is to plate in which the cylinder revolves and to which the cam-ring 1' is secured, the plate and the members secured'to it being capable of short Vertical movements, and 9 indicates portions of a bevel-gear secured to the lower end of the cylinder Nsee Fig. 9. To the rear or left end of the said cam-shaft s is secured a disk 0 having suitable camlugs, 0 c 0 disposed around and fixed to its rim; these lugs, in cooperation with other parts or elements about to be described, impart vertical movement-t0 the supplemental draw-cam, or tuck-cam A, for actuating the tuck or long-latch needles. .A tilting lever d, pivotedat f to the frame f (Figs. 1 and I 2) has its front end d in engagement with the cam-disk 0, its rear end being jointed to a vertical rod 03 the'upper end of the latter is slotted, see (F, and jointed to a short lever e fixed to a' suitably mounted, comparatively long, horizontal rock-shaft e, disposed below and near the table 6. To the opposite end of shaft 6 is secured an arm or tuck cam lever 6 the latter having a truck-roll 6 mounted in its free end, said lever when depressed positioning the roll in the circular path of and arranged to be engaged by suitable cam-lugs, 2' 7?, fixed to said-gear 71 all as clearly shown. These cam members, as drawn, are oppositely arranged and separated circumferentially by a space or gap, the length of the circular arc being, say 90 each. A lever-arm e is also fixed to shaft 6, or it may be integral with lever 6 a spring 8 connecting its free end with the lower lever d'see Fig. 1. As thus devised and arranged, the latterlev'er, when in engagement with the plain portion of thedisks rim, operates to keep the roll 6 positioned in the'path of the cams i and'so as to be intermittingly engaged by them, thereby vibrating the shaft 6 twice during each revolution of the gear, the spring 8- causing the shaft and its members to swing in the reverse direction back to'the normal position again. Owing to the presence of the slotted joint d of the connection d such ,vibratory .action of the shaft 6, &c., is or may be continued while the members d and d remain stationar in the position represented in Fig. 1. gaid movements of shaft 6', 'in connection with other cooperating members, later described, automatically impart correspondingly intermittent vertical movement to the tuck-cam A. When the lever 03 is in engagement with any of the lugs of the cam-disk 0, thereby moving the connecting-rod d downward, the result is to swing the roll 0 upward out of the path of the revolving cams 71 thus at the same time moving the tuck-cam lnto its upward or operative position, to cast the loops from the tuck-needles latches; the tuck-cam and also the several members d, 03 and rockshaft, remaining stationarymeanwhile until menace the next change or movement of the disk 0 takes place.

The means represented for imparting direct vertical reciprocatory movements to the tuck-cam from the said lever-arm 6 consists of the rod h, jointed to the latter and eX- tending upward through table t. To the upper end of this rod is secured a short horizontal member M, to which, in turn, is hinged an extension if, having its inner or free end forked to freely receive between its upper and lower ears it, h, the outwardly projecting portion of pin 29 the latter being fixed to the cam A and extending therefrom through a vertically slotted opening 9 formed in the box or casing B secured to the stationary cam-ring r, all as clearly shown in the drawings. As thus devised, it is clear that upon vertically reciprocating the rod h, the cam A is correspondingly moved. To the underside of arm k is jointed a link it, in turn pivotally connected to the slidable block D (Fig. 4) carrying the stitch-cams. Upon moving the block outward from the normal knitting position, as for example, when transferring or topping is being done, the member it will thereby be correspondingly swung in a lateral direction, thus temporarily withdrawing it away from the tuck-cams pin to permit the knitting cylinder to be freely rotated. In order that the pin will automatically resume its normal position between the said ears concurrently with the act of returning the cam-block to its inward or working position, an edge of the lower ear h is extended laterally to form an inclined guide it leading to the opening between the two ears and adapted to engage the underside of the pin and facilitate its entrance into said opening. Fig. 11 represents the normal working rela tion and position of the several parts, and

Fig. 12 the same when the cam-block is retracted from its cylinder. T he arrangement above described is adapted to both the elevated and depressed positions of the tuckcam, since the link it is pivoted to the camblock.

Now, assuming the machine to be normally running, the step-by-step movements of the cam-shaft s to which the cam-disk c is secured are or may be effected by a controlled patternchain and cooperating mechanisms in a well-known way. In the arrangement of the said concentric peripheral sections or raised lugs of cam c, represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the relation and timing are such that when the free end (Z of lever cZ rests, say upon lug '0 as in producing a stocking having its leg por tion consisting of continuous plain or regular courses of knitting, the movable mernbers connected with the lever and tuck-cam elevate the latter to its ope the position (see Fig. 18), whereby lcng-latch tucln needles are at the same time caused to operate and cast their loops from the latches; the loops of all the other needles of the setare also cast from the respective latches during each normal circular course. When the lever 63 thus rests upon any of the lugs the roll 6 is thereby swung upward or outwardly so as not to be engaged by the cams 2' of the revolving gear i In order to produce tuck-stitch work at any predetermined point in the knitting of the leg part, say at the point where the highsplice is to be commenced, the axial movement of shaft 8 then carries the lug 0 past the lever, the spring 8 instantly dropping it onto the bottom of the peripheral gap e, thereby moving the tuck-cam downward to its tucking position (corresponding with the temporary retention of the loops on the tuck-needles) and positioning the roll 6 in the path of the cams'z' so as to be intermittingly engaged and actuated by them. While the lever d remains in the depressed position the tuck-cam is adapted to be moved up and down twice during each rotation of the gear 2' corresponding with four circular courses, thereby simultaneously casting off a pair of loops from the tuck-needle in every other or alternate course. At the termination of the leg part or commencement of the heel the lug 0 is advanced under the lever, thereby for the time being moving the roll 6 and tuck-cam upward and permitting the tuck-needle or needles to work as usual in connection with the other needles while the cylinder is reciprocating and the heel is being formed. At the completion of the heel and commencement of the'toot part and resumption of circular knitting, and also in order to produce tuck-stitching therein, the further rotation of the shaft 8 carries lug a past the lever, the latter then drops into the gap or plain portion 12 thereby again automatically placing the roll a in position to be acted upon by the cams 2' substantially as before described with refected, that is, in case halt-hose being produced. The act ct retracting the camblock from the cylinder also withdraws the arm is? from the pin 79, thereby, in cooperation with the droppingof the usual 7 1. 'J.L .I. J.

camplate g, permitting all the needles to be temporarily pressed downward to or below the tops of the sinkers, and so that upon applying the top-carrying transfer-ring to the cylinder, its points will properly register with the needle-grooves. Fig. 11 represents the pin-supporting arm 72, in the normal working relation, and Fig. 12 the same in the said retracted position. In case the machine is to be adapted to automati: cally produce ladies stockings or stringwork, the said gap or space 42 is filled with a lug or section 0* (indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 1), or the several sections may be integral or connected together to form a curved single long section. In such case the stocking or work is run off the machine and the thread next fed to the then empty needles automatically to commence the knitting of the new stocking, the machine being in continuous action. The knitting of the stocking, and including the production of tuck-stitch Work in the leg and foot portions, are effected in substantially the same manner and by the means before described with respect to the production of tuckstitches in half-hose. By changing or varying the length and position of a cam-section, as 0 circumferentially upon the member 0, rows of tuck-stitches may be produced in the stocking leg, as desired.

In Fig. 13 (which represents a diagrammatic development of the cams and the inner circumference of theknitting-cylinder) the dotted lines and arrows w-indicate the row of butts and direction of needle-movement in producing circular knitting. The nu- -merals 1 to 8, inclusive, indicate various positions of the same needle during the knitting of a circular course. The upper dotted wave-line H indicates the corresponding movements of the top end of the hooks, the dotted horizontal line N indicates the top of the stitch-ring is or rather the upper edge 0 of the sinkers, represented more clearly in- Fig. 9. The cam-Ring r (referring to Fig. 13) has an opening in which is located the pair of main stitch or draw-cams 7' 1' (usually secured to a slidable block D, Fig. 4) and the cooperatingupper and lower central guard members r 1 p, p, designate the two narrowing pickers, and A and B ,the auxiliary or supplemental guided, vertically movable draw-cam or tuck-cam and-its cas-' ing, respectively; the latter adapted to be secured to the ring r by screws 29 In a knitting-machine embodying my improve-' '16) is fed into the successive hooks between tion herewith the needles are designated as short-latch and long-latch needles.

In the diagram, Figs. 13 and 16, the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 indicate various positions of the two series of short-. latch short and long-butt needles a and b in producing a course of .plain or regular circular knitting during a complete revolution of the needle-cylinder. The thread u (Fig.

positions 3 and 4;, the previously formed loop on each needle operating to close the latch, as usual, while the needle, position 4, is moving downward by means of stitch-cam 7*, so that when it is at the lowest point, 5, its old loop is cast off over the closed hook into the web, and leaving the new loop on the needle; the needle then in moving upward through the new loop 11. opens the latch and remains thereon until it reengages ,the companion stitch-cam 1' thereby moving the needle upward to cast the loop from its latch. The height of the last-named stitch-cam is somewhat less than the other cam, but ample, however, to cast oil the loops from the latches of all the short-latch needles. In producing plain or regular-courses of stitches, in which two of the long-butt needles, 6 have longer latches, the tuclccam A is in the elevated positions'ee Figs. 5, l3, and 15, the lever 65 '95 then being in engagement with the corresponding lug of cam members. The long butts of the needles 6 and 6 enter the open passage 1, and upon engaging the, elevated tuck-cam the needles are deflected upward to moving these needles downward to the nor- -mal level. In Fig. 16%, 7 and 8 indicate the corresponding positions of the long-latch needles at said casting-off point; each of these latter needles in the production of the next course (Fig. 17 receives new threall in its hook, the latch closes and its old loop is cast off and interloopedinto the stitches of, the web, substantially as. before stated. \Vhen the tucking-cam -A is thus elevated the roll a is correspondingly elevated above the path of thecon'tinuously rotating archshapcd cams 2' In knitting circular courses having. both plain and tuck-stitches in which loops are not cast from the tuck needles during the course, the corresponding relation of cam 0, lever d, etc., to the revolving geari is substantially as'indicated in Fig. 1. The cams i successivelyand intermittentlyengage the roll 6 and correspondingly actuate the cam Y A up and down; the spring 8 automatically retracting the tuck-cam when the roll a drops from the respective cams i When thus dropped the cam A. causes the new loop to be retained on the latch of the tuckneedle so that in producing the next circular course, Fig. 18, the latch will remain open nia eee The double-loop carrying long-latch needle b in the knitting of the next circular course remains opensee positions 1, 2, and 8, Fig.

19, until the new thread is fed into its hook, atwhich instant the action of stitch-cam r &c., causes the latch to close, both loops, u, u then bearing against the front of the latch-see corresponding position 4, Fig. 19. In passing the base or lower end of cam 1' the loops u u are simultaneously cast off the needles into the websee position 5 and the new thread converted into a loop a bearing against the face of the open latch when the needle is in thenormal position, 6. The tuck-cam A is next depressed, thereby causing the latch of needle 6 to remain open until the thread is again fed into its hook, as in Figs. 1748; the operations just described being repeated in an intermittent manner during the production of tuckstitching. That is to say, oppositely disposed tuck loops are interlooped into normal courses of circular stitches.

By providing the knitting-machine with applicants improvement, the single set of needles, comprising both long and shortbutt needles, mounted asusual in all the needle-grooves of the knitting-cylinder, is adapted to produce plain, seamless stockings and also stockings having certain of the circular courses formed of plain or regular stitches, and other circular courses of the same web consisting of both regular and tuck-stitches.

In Fig. 20, which represents a front view of a portion of a knitted web, ww indicate the longitudinal grows or wales of regular stitches and 1.0 a longitudinal row of tuckstitches substituted for the corresponding or omitted regular row, and interlooped into the adjacent rows rv-w. The loops proper, u, are located at the back of the web. the inclined or converging portions, u of the stitches being in front. The semi-loop 10 or portion of the thread associated with each of the stitches of the said row w extends transversely across between the contiguous rows to and is interconnected with the latter and with the elongated portion of the tuck-"stitch.

It will be seen that with the construction and combination of parts above described the tuck-needles employed will be caused to knit tuck-stitches at one portion of the stocking or other tubular fabric, and at another portion of the stocking or fabric the same tuck-needles will be caused to knit plain or ordinary stitches, this being due to the fact that means are provided whereby the manner of operating the tuck-needles may be varied. It will be further understood that in the case of a stocking, for example, thelines of tuck-stitches may, by properly varying or timing the operation of the controlling devices, be located in any portion of the stocking which may be desired. lhus, if desired, the lines of tuckstitches may be located at the back of the leg portion, and for the reason that by the means shown and described the tuckneedles which operate to produce lines of tuck-stitches on the back of the'leg portion, may be caused, when the heel is reached, to knit plain or ordinary stitches,

' and to continue the knitting of such plain stitches through the heel, sole, and toe portions of the stocking. It will also be understood that while the invention is particularly useful in connection with the knitting of seamless stockings, said invention may also be employed in connection with the knitting of any other tubular fabric in which it may be desired tohave lines of tuck-stitches in a certain portion or portions thereof, but not in other portions.

1 claim as my invention and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent 1. In an automatic circular knitting-machine having a revolubly mounted knitting cylinder provided with uniformly spaced grooves in which only latch needles are mounted, the latches of one or more of said needles exceeding in length the respective latches of the other needles, the combination with means cooperating with all the needles for converting a thread into a plain circular course of knitting, of a tucking-cam, revoluble cam mechanism operatively connected with the tucking-cam so as to temporarily prevent the latter from moving upward to cast loops from the latches of the tuck needles in tuck-knitting, a block member provided with stitch-cams, and means connected with said tucking-cam and block member for moving the latter radially in and out with relation to the knitting cylinder, said last mentioned means being arranged to position a member of the tuckingcam whereby it isadapted to operatively engage the block member when the latter is moved inward.

2. In an automatic circular knitting-machine having a revoluble needle cylinder provided circumferentially with uniformly spaced all-latch-needles, one or more of them being tuck-needles, the combination therewith of a vertically slidable tucking-cam, an actuated main cam-shaft, means controlled eating the latter to produce tuck-stitches at predetermined intervals in alternate courses of circular knitting, and means for'moving the knitting-cams into and out of action.

3. In an automatic circular knitting-machine having a revoluble needle cylinder provided circumferentially with uniformly spaced all-latch-needles, one or more of them being tuck-needles, the combination therewith of a vertically slidable tucking-cam, main rotary cam mechanism for positioning the tucking-cam for engagement with said tuck-needles, continuously revoluble independent cam mechanism rotating at less speed than the revoluble needle-cylinder, and means operatively connecting said main and independent rotary cam mechanisms, said last named means having a member thereof provided with a slotted joint and connecting lever, whereby the said main cam acts to place the tucking-cam upward to produce normal knitting at one point in the production of the tubular Web and acts to place the tucking-cam in position so as to be acted upon by said independent rotarycam mechanism to produce tuck stitch knitting at predetermined other points in the web, substantially as herein set forth.

4. In an automatic circular knitting-machine,-the combination with the knitting cylinder having long-butt and short-butt needles movably mounted therein, and devices, including stitclrcams, secured to a slidable cam-block, adapted to cooperate with the needles for producing circular knitting, of an independent supplemental or tuck cam arranged to be engaged by the long-butt needles, means for automatically actuating the last-named cam at predetermined points in knitting continuous circular courses, and means cooperating with said cam-block for automatically rendering the supplemental cam inactive concurrently with the act of retracting the cam-block from the cylinder.

5. In a circular knitting-machine provided with a needle-carrying cylinder, and stitch-cams movable in and out with respect to the face of the cylinder, the combination therewith of a supplemental or tuck cam disposed in the path of, and when in use, adapted to be engaged by certain of the needles, means for automatically moving the said supplemental cam into the operative and inoperative positions, and means for rendering the supplemental cam temporarily inoperative concurrently with the act of moving the stitch-cams outward from the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN LAWSON.

, Witnesses:

Gino. H. REMINGTON, CALvIN H. BROWN. 

